Apparatus for pulling out stakes, posts and the like set in the ground



May 2, 1967 M. BURK ETAL 3,317,185

APPARATUS FOR PULLING OUT STAKES, POSTS AND THE LIKE SET IN THE GROUND Filed Opt. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l 76 7) I l d 0 f w- I r 4 5 T 0 (i 5 1T 75 I v 74 Q 70 7/ Fig.7

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APPARATUS FOR PULLING OUT STAKES SI'S AND THE LI KE SET IN THE GROU I Filed Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0) /%Q\ N m K/ N l\ a l \I jg Ki .2 Q a a D W a Q I ix LL \x/ lvvvav zZ a/as United States Patent Claims This invention relates to apparatus for pulling out stakes, posts and the like set in the ground. Such apparatus may be used, for example, for pulling out vertical pipes serving as boundary stakes.

The apparatus with which the invention is concerned has two similar lifting appliances arranged parallel with one another and connected together by clamps embracing the draw piece. Stakes or posts have already been lifted by means of a pressure piece constructed as a pipe-clip, which is secured to the pipe and has two projections under each of which a lifting appliance engages. The danger arises when using an apparatus with such a pressure piece that on uneven operation of the two lifting appliances and/ or uneven support of these, for example due to varied resistance of the ground, the stake, post or pipe is subjected to large one-sided stresses which could cause it to become twisted.

One known apparatus which grips the pipe with a pair of clamps has a support stirrup securely fixed on the lifting appliance to keep them correctly positioned. Each of the lifting appliances has one upwardly and one downwardly movable piston, the upwardly movable piston is connected with the clamp-jaws by means of a cable and the downwardly movable piston is used to compensate for the varied resilience of the difierent angles thereto. When two connection frames are used, these may form a parallelogram with the lifting appliances.

Advantageously, the connection frame is so constructed as to be able to give in a direction lying parallel to the plane containing the axes of the two lifting appliances. With such a construction, it is possible to place the frame in position even if it is not arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the draw piece.

Preferably, there are attached to the frame at least three guide members in contact with the draw piece and which are axially displaceable in directions radial to the drawpiece and are urged against the draw part by means of springs. These guide members serve to locate the frame.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus accord ing to the invention partly in longitudinal section,

FIGURE 2 is a section along the line II-II in FIGURE 1 on a larger scale, some of the parts being omitted.

In the drawings, a pipe 1 serving as a boundary stake is rammed into the ground and is to be drawn out. The apparatus for drawing out the pipe constructed according to the invention grips the pipe 1 by means of a pair of clamps 2.

The pair of clamps 2 has two connectors 3 to which levers 4 are pivotally attached. Each pair of adjacent levers 4 is connected together by a connector 5 on which a clamping member 6 is pivotally mounted. On the free end of each lever 4 one end of a draw-cable 5' is secured. Thus the ends of each draw-cable 5' are joined to the levers of the same clamp 2. Each draw-cable 5' is lead over a corresponding pulley 6' at the upper end of a hydraulic cylinder 7. The latter is mounted for axial movement on a piston 8 which is supported by means of a ball 3,317,185 Patented May 2, .1967

head 9 and a socketed foot 10 on a base 11 which rests on the ground. A pipe 12 is connected to the work chamber 13 enclosed by the cylinder 7 and the piston 8 and leads through a control device to, for example, a fluid pump (not shown) in communication with a reservoir. Each piston 8 carries a lug 14 formed with an eye, the lug 14 being in each case on the end of piston 8 projecting from the cylinder 7. A connection frame 15 is articulated to the lugs 14. A similarly constructed connection frame 15' is located above the clamps 2 and is articulated to lugs 16 attached to the cylinders 7. Through holes in the lugs 16 serve for engagement by for example, a crane for lifting the apparatus. The connection frames 15 and 15' connect together two lifting appliances each of the same construction.

The frame 15 articulated to the piston rods of the pistons is shown by itself in FIGURE 2. It consists of two substantially U-shaped parts 17 and 17 whose ends are engaged telescopically with one another. The connection is formed as follows. The part 17 has at the end of each arm of the U a cylindrical part 18 which is located in a complementarily constructed cylinder 19 on the part 17. Within the cylindrical part 18 extends a tie-rod 21 which is held on a cross bolt 22 secured on the part 19, and slides in an end part 20 of the cylindrical part 18. A compression spring 23 is located on each tie rod 21 between an end stop on the end of the rod remote from the cross bolt 22 and the end part 20. The spring 23 urges the cylinder 19 against a stop 18 provided on the cylindrical part 18. To the central portion of the base of each of the frame parts 17 and 17 are secured two spaced-apart plates 24 which are secured by means of hinge bolts 25 to the lugs 14 on the piston rod of the piston 8.

Four buffer shaped guide members 26 are in contact with the pipe 1 each of the guide members 21 being mounted along its axis in a buffer-block 27. A spring 28 disposed in the hollow interior of each guide member is supported against a cross wall 29 and urges the buffer 26 against the pipe 1. Each block 27 and the cross wall 29 are arranged between two overlapping supporting plates 30 which are moveably mounted on the frame part 17 or 17' by means of bolts engaged in longitudinal slots 31. The connection frame 15 is constructed in a similar way to the connection frame 15.

In the positions shown in FIGURE 1, the frames 15 and 15' are at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylinders 7. The compression springs 23 in the frame 15 oppose a lateral displacement of the cylinders 7. If the ground on which the apparatus is set up, is uneven, the frames 15 and 15' take up a slanting attitude in accordance with the ground, whilst the axes of the cylinder 7 remain substantially vertical so that these axes form, with the longitudinal axes of the frames 15 and 15, a parallelogram. Due to the inclined position of the frames 15 and 15 relative to the pipe 1 when this happens, the frames then become longer in dependence upon the amount inclination which is obtained by compression of the compression springs 23. When the ground below the apparatus is of varying resistance to compression, the support 11 may sink whereby the positions of the parts of the apparatus take up the same positions as these parts take up on uneven ground.

In order to obviate the necessity of having to place the frames 15 and 15' onto the pipe 1 from above and having to lift them off from above, the frames 15 and 15 may be made open to one side or a part of the frame may be made removable.

The frames 15 and 15' can also be so constructed that they can be used for pipes 1 of different diameters. For this purpose it is possible to divide each frame along two planes lying at an angle to one another and to construct the parts of the frame so as to be adjustable and movable into each other. A push-in bolt connection can serve for the stepwise adjustment of the frame to the diameter of each pipe.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly it is desired to comprehend such modifications with this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for pulling out draw pieces such as stakes, posts and the like set in the ground, said apparatus comprising (a) two elongated lifting appliances adapted for mounting in upright positions parallel to and connected with each other and on opposite sides of a draw piece,

(b) a clamp capable of clamping on said draw piece and adapted for engagement by said lifting appliances for lifting thereby together with the draw piece, and

(c) at least one connection frame at least partly surrounding the said draw piece and which is articulately connected to the lifting appliances by means of radially directed supporting props abutting against the draw piece.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connection frame is resiliently extendable in a direction parallel to the plane containing the axes of the two lifting appliances.

3. Apparatus for pulling out draw pieces such as stakes, posts and the like set in the ground, said apparatus comprising (a) two base members,

(b) a ball and socket connection on each base member,

(c) two elongated lifting-appliances mounted one on each of said base members by said ball and socket connections and arranged parallel to each other and on opposite sides of said draw piece,

(d) a clamp member clamped to said draw piece and adapted for lifting by said lifting appliances, and

(e) at least one connection frame engaged on said draw piece and articulated to each of said lifting appliances to connect same together and secure them to said draw piece.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein two connection frames are provided, said two frames being spaced apart one above the other and said clamp member being located between them.

5. Apparatus for pulling out draw pieces such as stakes, posts and the like set in the ground, said apparatus comprising (a) two base members (b) a ball and socket connection on each base member,

(c) two elongated lifting appliances, one of said appliances being mounted on each of said base members by the corresponding ball and socket connection, whereby said lifting appliances can be arranged upright and parallel to one another on opposite sides of a draw piece,

(d) a clamp member adapted to be clamped on said draw piece and to be lifted by said lifting appliances,

(e) two connection frames each'adapted to be engaged on said draw piece (f) two lugs on each of said lifting appliances each lug paired with a lug on the other lifting appliance, and,

(g) articulated connections articulating said connection frames to said lugs, each frame being connected to two paired lugs on opposite lifting appliances and connecting said appliances together one frame being located above said clamp member and one below.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each of said connection frames comprises two U-shaped parts corresponding legs of the two parts being telescopically engaged with one another, each of said frames also comprising spring means urging said parts telescopically into one another.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of said connection frames has three spaced guide members arranged around an aperture in said frame to engage a draw piece extending through said aperture, said frame also having spring means urging said guide members in towards said draw piece.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said connection frames comprises two U-shaped parts, corresponding legs of the two parts being telescopically engaged with one another, each of said frames also comprising spring means urging said parts telescopically into one another.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said connection frames has three spaced guide members arranged around an aperture in said frame to engage a draw piece extending through said aperture, said frame also having spring means urging said guide members in towards said draw piece.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, which each supporting prop is in the form of a buffer shape guide member mounted on the connecting frame by means of plates adjustably mounted thereon.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which each supporting prop is in the form of a buffer shaped guide member mounted on the connecting frame by means of plates adjustably mounted thereon, and in which the buffer is provided with a spring and a cross wall with the spring abutting against the cross wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,874,933 2/1959 Feucht 254-18 2,967,044 1/1961 Corcreham et al. 25430 3,180,617 4/1965 Brown 25430 FOREIGN PATENTS 819,820 9/1959 Great Britain.

353,168 10/1937 Italy.

42,349 1/ 1938 Netherlands.

139,276 3/1960 Russia.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner, MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner, 

1. APPARATUS FOR PULLING OUT DRAW PIECES SUCH AS STAKES, POSTS AND THE LIKE SET IN THE GROUND, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING (A) TWO ELONGATED LIFTING APPLIANCES ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING IN UPRIGHT POSITIONS PRALLEL TO AND CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A DRAW PIECE, (B) A CLAMP CAPABLE OF CLAMPING ON SAID DRAW PIECE AND ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID LIFTING APPLI- 